1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to disposable diapers, and more particularly to a diaper with legs. The diaper may have reclosable fasteners about the waist and legs, or may be of the pull-on type without fasteners.
2. Description of the Related Art
Absorbent articles for the lower torso, such as diapers, pull-on diapers and pull-on pants, are used to capture waste matter for infants and those who cannot control their bodily functions. Absorbent articles have made life cleaner and easier for those who wear the articles and their caregivers. These absorbent articles, however, are not entirely problem free. There are times when body exudates seep through the openings of the absorbent article, such as at the leg openings and the waist opening. A diaper is therefore desired that can contain waste matter that may leak out the openings of the diaper.
A number of pant-like absorbent articles have been developed to aid is retaining waste matter excreted by the body. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0165518, published on Nov. 7, 2002, describes a pant-like, prefastened, disposable absorbent article that reduces leakage when worn as pants rather than a diaper. In one embodiment, the absorbent article has a pair of elastic leg members that are adapted to fit about the legs of a wearer. The leg members maintain contact with the legs and reduce or eliminate leaks. The absorbent article has an absorbent core with a pocket defined therein to receive and retain body exudates. Additionally, the absorbent article may have a containment flap disposed near the pocket to provide a barrier to the lateral flow of body excretions.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0181883, published on Sep. 25, 2003, describes a garment-like absorbent article. The article is a pant-like article that functions like underwear. The article has a pair of leg openings. The length of the outer cover of the article, measured from the front waist edge to the rear waist edge can be shorter then other bulkier garments so the article can be worn without being visible over the waistline of lower torso garments.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,916,206, issued to Ostubo et al. on Jun. 29, 1999, describes an absorbent pant-like undergarment that utilizes elastic elements to prevent leaks. The pants-type undergarment has a pair of leg openings to configure the garment into pants or a brief-like shape. U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,386, issued to Inoue on Apr. 3, 2001, describes a disposable pull-on, pant-type undergarment having elastic auxiliary flaps to secure the garment to the waist and aid in disposal of the garment. U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,724, issued to Ronnberg et al. on Dec. 11, 2001, describes an absorbent article having longitudinal side flaps for retaining liquid within the absorbent article.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,482,196, issued to Hisada on Nov. 19, 2002, describes disposable undergarment pants combined with a belly protector. The undergarment has a front body joined to a rear body to define both a tubular waist configuration at the top of the undergarment and leg openings at the bottom of the undergarment. Elastic is integrated into both the belly protector and the pants section of the undergarment.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0199841, published on Oct. 23, 2003 to Ashton et al., describes an absorbent article having article retention zones dependent on static friction. One embodiment shows a pant-like absorbent article. Japanese Patent No. 2003-210518, published on Jul. 29, 2003, shows a disposable pant-type diaper having legs. Japanese Patent No. 2003-38554, published on Feb. 5, 2003, shows a pant-type disposable diaper having a penis-receiving zone.
Some absorbent articles have been developed that utilize leg cuffs. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0208171, published on Nov. 6, 2003, describes an absorbent article with self-forming seals. The article fits like pants having seals at natural body hinge points of a wearer and in-captured elastic leg cuffs. The leg cuffs extend from the absorbent core of the diaper article and provide targeted stretch and recovery as the leg moves.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0158532, published on Aug. 21, 2003, describes a disposable absorbent article for the lower body. The article may have barrier cuffs or gasketing leg cuffs disposed on a portion of the article that faces the body. The cuffs may help in preventing leaks. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0002690, published on Jan. 1, 2004, describes a disposable absorbent article having elasticized outer leg cuffs. The gasket cuff contains a sleeve that holds elastic material to provide a seal with the leg.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,156,024, issued to Schulte et al. on Dec. 5, 2000, describes an absorbent article having lotioned leg cuffs. Japanese Patent No. 2003-88262, published on Mar. 25, 2003, describes a pet diaper. Japanese Patent No. 11-290377, published on Oct. 26, 1999, shows a pants-shaped disposable diaper having elastic members on a front panel and a back panel. Japanese Patent No. 2003-199778, published on Jul. 15, 2003, shows a diaper cover having a pocket for holding a urine-taking pad.
Absorbent articles utilizing a number of absorbent core components are described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0199844, published on Oct. 23, 2003 (disposable absorbent article for a lower body, having pockets to store multiple replaceable absorbent core components) and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0225385, published on Dec. 4, 2003 (an absorbent article having longitudinally arranged multiple core components).
Some absorbent articles have been developed that utilize fastener elements to retain the absorbent article on a wearer. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0002691, published on Jan. 1, 2004, describes absorbent pants having an optimized leg opening shape designed to transfer stress away from a fastener element and minimize the possibility of the fastener disengaging.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,840, issued to Proxmire on Jun. 26, 1990, describes a method of reducing waist droop in a disposable diaper. The diaper has landing zones on a front panel and ear fasteners on a back panel. The method requires the landing zones to be oriented on the front panel so tensile stresses are distributed away from leg openings and a waist opening. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0220626, published on Nov. 27, 2003, describes an absorbent article that does not require a loop fastener as seen in hook and loop type fasteners.
Still other absorbent articles have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,944, issued to Jonbrink on Feb. 18, 2003 (a diaper); U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0229327, published on Dec. 11, 2003 (absorbent pants having high leg cuts); U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0164136, published on Sep. 4, 2003 (a wearing article having a wetness indicator); U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0149412, published on Aug. 7, 2003 (diaper having permanent leg openings); and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0212378, published on Nov. 13, 2003 (a refastenable absorbent garment having elastic members at a waist opening and leg openings to enhance containment and absorption of body exudates).
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a diaper with legs solving the aforementioned problems is desired.